"Too close, too close!"
Hiyori instinctively stepped back. When Kaito talks, he's always too close.
"Really?" Kaito didn't notice.
Sora looked measuringly. "About 30 centimeters. That's intimate distance."
"Intimate distance?"
Hiyori explained. "Psychologist Edward Hall proposed personal space theory. People have four distance zones."
Sora wrote in her notebook. "Intimate: 0-45cm, Personal: 45-120cm, Social: 120-350cm, Public: 350cm+."
"I was talking at intimate distance?" Kaito realized.
"Intimate distance is for family or romantic partners," Hiyori blushed.
"Sorry!" Kaito hurriedly stepped back. Now about 2 meters away.
"Now too far," Sora laughed. "That's social distance."
"How far is right?" Kaito was confused.
Hiyori calmly said, "For friends, personal distance. About arm's length where you can't touch."
Kaito moved to the appropriate position. "Like this?"
"Just right."
Sora observed. "Kaito might have unique distance sense."
"What do you mean?"
"Comfortable distance varies by person. Changes with culture, personality, past experience."
Hiyori supplemented. "Kaito, are you from a large family?"
"Yeah. Five siblings."
"That might be it," Sora understood. "Growing up in physically close environments tends to make personal space smaller."
Kaito agreed. "At home, someone was always nearby."
"But that's not comfortable for everyone," Hiyori said.
Sora asked. "Hiyori, do you tend to keep distance?"
Hiyori nodded. "Only child, had my own room. Personal time was precious."
"So wider personal space."
"Probably."
Kaito asked. "Then what should I do? I don't know others' comfortable distance."
Sora suggested. "Observe and adjust. If they step back, too close. If they lean in, too far."
"Read body language," Hiyori added.
"But isn't constant observation tiring?" Kaito worried.
"Needs awareness at first, but becomes natural with practice," Sora encouraged.
Hiyori recalled. "Different by culture too, right? Leo always keeps distance."
"European cultures tend to have wider personal space," Sora explained.
"Interesting. Distance has culture too."
Sora continued. "Also changes with relationship. Distant at first meeting, closer when familiar."
"Distance is a relationship barometer," Hiyori said.
Kaito suddenly thought. "Then when wanting to close distance, what should I do?"
"Can't rush," Sora answered. "Gradually, while watching the other's reaction."
Hiyori cautioned. "But closing distance when unwanted is invasion."
"Invasion?"
"Psychological intrusion. Causes discomfort or fear."
Kaito became serious. "Have I been invading?"
"Not intentionally," Hiyori said gently. "But be careful from now on."
Sora proposed. "Respect others' boundaries. That's the first step to building trust."
Kaito stood consciously of distance. "This distance, how is it?"
"Perfect," Hiyori smiled.
"But when we're close friends, can it be a bit closer?"
"Time will tell," Sora said. "As relationships deepen, distance naturally closes."
Kaito looked out the window. "Distance is deep."
"Foundation of interpersonal relations," Hiyori acknowledged.
Sora added. "But there's no perfect distance. It's constantly adjusting."
"Like dancing," Kaito compared.
"Good expression," Hiyori smiled. "Matching each other's steps."
Kaito looked at them both. "Right now, our distance feels just right."
Sora measured. "About 80 centimeters. Center of personal distance."
"Friends' distance," Hiyori said.
Kaito laughed. "Learning about distance might make us better friends."
"Surely," Sora acknowledged.
The three walked side by side. Maybe not perfect distance. But a distance respecting each other. That's just right for the three now.
"I'll be careful from now on," Kaito pledged.
"Little by little is fine," Hiyori encouraged.
Distance can be measured. But heart distance is more complex.